Upon a Star
by multifandomhaven
Summary: Mando is sent on a bounty by a wealthy man in exchange for his daughter's services.
1. Payment

Iros Rys was a rugged warrior when he still had his youth. He was all strong shoulders and bulging muscles - women fawned over him and men feared him. In his battles he intimidated most of his opponents to bow to him before the fight even started, and those who didn't were cut down without a thought. He was ruthless.

A machine.

Then he met his wife, a young woman from a planet he'd been on for a mission. Beautiful and charming, she'd melted the warrior's icy heart and they married shortly after.

Their first child was a son, handsome and strong like his father. They named him Kisen. He grew into a formidable fighter in his own right - swift and unyielding. He wasn't like this father, who killed without thought. Instead, he calculated his every move with great effort. He may have been even smarter than he was strong. He was the pride of the Rys family.

Then came Larena, their second child, and with her arrival she forced the departure of her mother. It was a tragedy. She was loved above all by her brother, but something somber lingered, hanging over her like a storm cloud. Kisen shouldered the role of caretaker and took her under his wing at his tender age of seven. Kisen tried, of course, to urge her father with his own feelings, but she, so unlike her brother and father in many ways, was an outcast.

Now, after what had happened in the weeks prior to Kisen's departure, she wasn't even sure she was still considered a Rys. Especially by her father.

"The Mandalorian is here, Sir."

Iros gave a short nod to the droid. "Send him in."

The sound of footsteps thundered toward them and Larena felt herself sit a little straighter in her seat when the masked figure marched through the doors before them. He was intimidating, she'd give him that. Tall and broad, though not as big as her father, he stood before them, his head tilted back to take in the family of two that sat patiently waiting for him.

"You have a job for me?"

His voice was low, distorted by the modulator in his helmet. Larena supposed it fit a man with a reputation such as his.

Her father stood, almost towering over the Mandalorian. The metal-clad man didn't flinch, and stood firmly rooted to his spot, waiting for the man to speak. "That's right. My son has fled the city - he's gone rogue with a group of bandits after a falling out. I need you to bring him home."

"And the payment?" The Mandalorian inquired, his helmet never straying from the patriarch.

Iros didn't miss a beat. "A healer."

The Mandalorian inclined his head slightly. "What?"

"My daughter. Larena." He pointed to her and Larena's stomach dropped, her mind buzzing with questions. "She's a healer. She will be useful to you on your travels. I wish for you to take her with you and in return bring my son back home."

The Mandalorian turned his helmet slightly toward her, almost as if he were sizing her up. He stood there, silently for what seemed like hours before he spoke. "Very well."

Larena turned to her father, her eyes glassy, shining with unshed tears. Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Father?"

"Go, Larena." He said without looking at her. "Your brother is my heir. You will help bring him home."

Larena swallowed her protest. If it would bring Kisen home she'd do anything. She steeled her nerves looked at the Mandalorian, who still hadn't moved an inch. "When do we leave?"

"Now."


	2. Off the Ground

The first time the ship lifted off the ground Larena was sitting in the passenger seat, legs quaking, hands gripping the armrests so tightly her knuckles were white. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest, but she swallowed down her nerves and tried to calm herself. She didn't want The Mandalorian to see her anxiety. She was his Healer now. She couldn't afford to be weak.

She watched through a squinted gaze as the blue skies faded into an endless black and then, as if it were as easy as breathing, she was passing stars. Her fear turned to intrigue and, when the ride became more smooth, she leaned forward in her seat a bit more, her mouth agape as she took in the beauty of space.

"Whoa," she breathed.

The Mandalorian tilted his head slightly. "You've never been off the ground?"

"No." She mumbled back, too enthralled by the blurring stars that shot past her to be unnerved by his modulated, flat question. "It's... it's beautiful."

The Mandalorian said nothing, and through the corner of her eye she watched as he pressed a few buttons and then and leaned further into his chair, his back still stick straight.

Another question came a few moments later. "You're a Healer?"

Larena sucked in a breath and tore her gaze from the stars to him. "Yes."

"Trained?"

"Not formally, no." She answered back. "But there was someone my father hired to help me. He was very skilled and taught me what he knew."

Again, The Mandalorian was momentarily silent, almost as if he were weighing her words. "So your father paid me with a half-trained Healer?"

Larena's chest tightened, in embarrassment or hurt, she couldn't tell. "It seems so."

His accusation churned her stomach. She was essentially a slave, sold to a bounty hunter by her own father.

Suddenly, as if she'd been subconsciously fending it off the entire time, the realization came to her and she felt betrayal wash over her. She felt lost. Brokenhearted.

The backs of her eyes began to burn and she turned her head away from the metal man beside her, wiping them with the back of her hand. She refused to shed her tears. At least in front of him.

A coo from somewhere behind her startled her back to her surroundings. She wiped her eyes again and whipped around to find The Mandalorian already standing. "Was that a baby?"

"Yes." The Mandalorian moved past her, and stopped in front of what looked like a cradle of some sort. He fingered a panel on his arm and the top of it opened, revealing the head of something with massive ears and little hairs poking up out of its head.

Larena watched as the man leaned down and plucked the little thing out of its bedding and held it to his chest.

She'd never seen anything like it. A green, wrinkly little thing - it was cute, staring at her with its owlish eyes. It tilted its head and opened his mouth, a little row of teeth poked out to greet her.

"Hi, there," she said quietly.

The creature seemed to sense her emotions and held its small tri-fingered hand toward her, a toothy little coo coming from its mouth. It was oddly comforting and felt herself moving toward the pair without a thought.

The little thing held up its arms, a clear sign it wanted to be picked up.

"Can I?" She gestured to the baby in the man's arms.

The Mandalorian looked down at the baby in his arms then back to the expectant woman standing before him. "Be careful with him."

A boy, she noted with a nod. "Of course."

The Mandalorian placed the child in her arms, watching as she placed a gentle finger to his nose. The baby giggled and swat at her finger with his little green digits. "He's sweet. What's his name?"

"He doesn't have one." He answered simply.

Larena furrowed her brows and looked up at him. "What do you mean he doesn't have one?"

The Mandalorian said nothing, still watching her pet the baby's nose with the pad of her finger. The baby's eyes watched, crossing comically as her digit came back down, and giggled each time it made its pass.

"So what do you call him?" Larena looked down when the baby gripped her finger in his tiny hand, tilting its head in what she could only call confusion. She wiggled her finger and smiled when it grabbed it again. "Baby?"

"Or Child. Sometimes Kid."

Larena blinked, but didn't push any further. "And you? What am I supposed to call you?"

"Most people call me Mando," came his monotone reply. "You can call me that if you want."

She nodded and moved back to the chair she was sitting in previously. "Do you have a medkit on board?"

"I did. It's almost empty now." He sat back in the pilot seat but made no move to swivel it toward her as she'd done to look at him. "I have to make a stop soon to get some repairs done to the ship. Make a list and I can get what you need to refill it."

The woman beside him nodded and smiled when she felt the baby cuddle itself closer to her chest. "Okay."

Later that evening, Larena was left to her own devices until Mando and The Child got what they needed from the small town.

She decided to practice on her focus - something she'd failed to do in recent months - in hopes that she could prove the Mandalorian wrong. She wasn't half-trained. She would prove herself.

She sat cross-legged on the floor, her back to the cockpit, and focused her energy on lifting the bolt she'd found lying on the floor of the ship. She closed her eyes, focusing everything she had on the bolt, trying to physically wrap her consciousness around the metal itself.

She heard a small tink sound and had to will herself not to open her eyes, lest she break her concentration. Instead she did what she'd done since she was a young girl.

She sang.

It was a song - her mother's song, or so her brother told her when they were small. It somehow made her feel as if she'd known her mother - made her feel like she might still be out in the starts watching over her.

The song strengthened her focus and she finally let her slide eyes open. She blinked a little blearily and, to her great surprise, was greeted with a pair of legs directly in front of her. A little green head peeked out from behind them.

She screamed and flinched backward when she saw Mando and The Child standing in front of her. "Maker's sake, you could've given some kind of indication you were standing there!"

"It shouldn't be that easy to sneak up on you." The modulated voice almost taunted her. "What were you doing?"

Larena huffed. "I was practicing."

"What were you practicing?"

"Focus." Her tone was clipped. She was annoyed.

Larena could hear his breathing through the helmet and it unnerved her. She pushed herself off the floor and stretched her legs.

"I got what you asked for."

She nodded and took the sack he held out to her. She looked through it, smiling at the contents. "This should be good for a while. Depending on how often we have to make use of it."

The stood in silence for a moment before Mando sighed and began to load himself down with weapons of all sorts.

"I have a job. Watch the kid until I get back." Mando told her "There's weapons down the ladder, use them if you need them. Don't let anyone in the ship that's not in here now."

Larena's eyes widened. "I-I'm a Healer, not a fighter."

"You have to be both," he told her seriously. "If someone comes in here they don't leave alive. Understand?"

Larena swallowed down her reply and gave a short nod. "Understood."

"Good." He checked his blaster and rifle he strapped across his back. "I'll be back before sunrise."

Larena grabbed the kid off the floor and held him tight to her chest, watching as the ramp on the ship closed, sealing them both into for the next few hours.

"Well, what do you say, little guy, wanna get something to eat?" The baby cooed and waved his arms at her suggestion. "Alright then, let's go see what we've got."

After they ate and she wiped his little face down, because Maker did he get messy when he ate, they sat on the floor together playing. Larena decided she could both train and play until Mando got back so she got the bolt and clapped her hands to get the baby's attention.

"Watch this, kiddo. You're gonna love it." She closed her eyes, concentrating her focus onto the little piece of metal, and smiled when she heard the baby cooing at her.

She began to sing her mother's song and, by their own accord, her eyes opened up.

The baby was looking at her in wonder before he too closed his eyes and held out his little hand. What little focus Larena had managed to hold on to left her when the bolt was torn from her grasp and into his own.

Her eyes widened and her jaw went slack, the lyrics of the song dead on her tongue. "Whoa, you can do it too?"

The baby let his hand fall to his side and opened his eyes, offering a toothy smile.

"Want to play a game?" She asked excitedly The baby cooed. "I'll pass it to you, you pass it to me. Okay?"

She concentrated on the bolt, tossing it toward him with the flick of her hand.

The baby laughed and caught it mid-air in his mental grip, then threw it back to her.

They played this way for a while, back and forth the bolt went, until the baby suddenly yawned loudly, his green face scrunched up. He held his arms out to her and she made her way toward him, picking up off the ground and placing him gently in his cradle.

"I'm glad you're here, too, little guy," she told him softly, trailing her pointer finger down his nose. "You make me feel less alone."

The baby babbled sleepily and, within a few minutes of her talking to him, he was out.

Larena sighed and rubbed her finger over his little nose one last time. "Sleep tight."

Time passed slowly as she waited for Mando to get back. Her energy dwindled little by little and soon she found herself fighting the sleep that threatened to claim her.

She'd taken to aiming down the sights of one of the blasters he'd left on the ship for her. She closed one of her eyes, shivering at the heavy feel of it in her palm. She didn't like weapons - detested them in a way, but she knew his way of life was dangerous. It was only sensible that she got comfortable with them. She sighed and let the blaster rest by her hand on the ground as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes - the kid was asleep and surely she'd hear someone open the hatch. Right?

She drifted in and out of sleep for a little bit, but was jolted awake by the sound of grunting coming from outside the ship. She jumped to her feet, the blaster shaking between both of her unsteady hands when she heard a pounding on the side of the ship.

She gripped the blaster tightly, her eyes closed. "W-Who is it?"

"It's me, open up."

Larena sighed and rushed over to the panel and pressed the button he'd showed her when they'd entered the ship the first day. She watched as the ramp lowered slowly, revealing to her a stumbling Mando dragging a body behind him.

"I-Is he dead?"

The Mandalorian shook his head wordlessly and continued into the ship where he threw the body into what looked like a wall of stone. She flinched when the body's imprint showed through on the back of the wall. "He's not dead."

The woman let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She ran her hand over her face, her exhaustion catching up to her, and then turned back to the Mandalorian. She watched as he swayed slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." He grunted out. "Just got clipped."

Larena's brows pulled down. "Let me see, I can heal you."

"I'm fine," he said again, limping toward the cockpit. "I just need to cauterize it."

"This is what I'm here for," Larena argued hotly. "Let me do my job."

Mando sighed and nodded, leaning up against the side of the ship. "Okay."

"Here?" Mando nodded and removed the upper parts of his armor, groaning when his left arm moved to unclasp it. "Do you want me to..."

Mando grunted. "I can do it."

Larena nodded and went to get the medpack while he worked. She got back before he was done and waited patiently for him to drop his armor to the floor and raise his shirt. She gasped when she saw the gash on his side, bleeding profusely down his torso. Her hand reached out on its own accord and touched the puckered skin around it, wincing when he jerked with a groan.

"Mando," she whispered. She pushed him gently down onto the floor and he relented, laying back when she pushed his shoulder just a bit more. "I'm gonna disinfect it first and then I'll get started, okay?"

He grunted softly, but allowed her to do what she needed to. He watched her grab an antiseptic towel wipe her hands on it, and then another, he guessed to clean his side with.

"I'll be as gentle as I can," she told him. She wiped at the blood that had dried to his skin first, rubbing it lightly and exposing the copper-colored skin below it. She then moved to the gash itself, wincing when she saw him visibly flinch as she brought the towel over the gash. "Sorry."

He said nothing and she continued her work, wincing with his every subtle movement. Pity filled her chest and she defaulted into doing the only thing that made her feel better as a child.

She sang.

Her voice echoed off the walls, filling the small space with a harmony he'd heard her sing only hours before when he found her practicing. He relaxed slightly under her ministrations and she felt herself smile a bit. It seemed to hold a calming quality for him as well. She sprayed a bit of bacta onto the gash, just enough to take the edge off, and then pressed her palm gently over it, concentrating with all her might. She saw, in her mind's eye, the gash knitting itself back together, the skin smoothing over into a just a whisper of what it was.

She heard his breathing even out and opened her eyes, smiling down at the clean, barely-there scratch that was much worse only seconds before.

"Y'alright?" She breathed, her body feeling weightless. Her eyelids felt heavy and she teetered forward slightly.

The Mandalorian was still in pain, but just a fraction of what he'd felt before. He watched her blink once, then twice, and then fall backward with a thud.


	3. Inconsolable

Waking up in Mando's bed was a bit disorienting for Larena. Had she really been so depleted that she couldn't even heal a wound without passing out? How long had she actually been practicing before Mando and the baby returned? Her mind was reeling as she came to - why was she in a cot? Had Mando carried her there? Was this his cot? How long had she been out this time?

Larena groaned at the blinding ache that persisted in her temple and rubbed the heels of her palms against her eyes. Her thoughts only encouraged the pain so she focused on her breathing instead, in and out, in and out. She lay there for a few moments simply breathing, allowing herself to fully awaken before she pulled herself up. She brushed her hands, as gently as possible, through her hair, wincing when she tugged through a tangle.

She allowed herself one more yawn before dragged herself out of the cot and into the cockpit.

"Morning," she greeted quietly.

A soft coo came from one of the seats and she smiled lightly when she saw a little green head poke around the side of it, the baby's toothy smile widening at her presence. He babbled and reached for her and, although pain shot like lightning through her head, she wiggled her fingers toward him in greeting. "Hey, little guy."

She scooped the baby into her arms and sat down, drawing him close to her chest. The child looked up at her with the tilt of his head, his eyes blinking slowly as he took her in. He looked confused at first, and then... something else flashed in his big eyes. She gave his ear a stroke and the corners of his mouth curled up at her once more. She looked forward to the stoic man who had yet to greet her. "How long was I out?"

The Mandalorian didn't move to look at her when he answered. "Not long. A couple of hours."

She took a deep breath and blew it out of her nose. "Sorry about that. I didn't think I was so... tired."

A modulated hum came from him, but he left her with that. They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, the baby playing with Larena's hands while she closed her eyes in hopes of some kind of relief. She felt the baby nuzzle his head against her side and she smiled, giving his little head a pat without opening her eyes.

"Where are we going?" Larena asked after a while, her head laid back against the seat.

"I'm going to get another bounty," Mando told her quietly. "Turn in the ones I secured in the last few weeks."

Larena nodded, the motion of it almost blinding her. She cursed and brought her hands to her temples, careful to not knock the child from her lap.

"Everything alright?" The turning of his chair came with a slight creak and Larena winced. She squinted her eyes open, only to find him staring at her through the slits of his helmet. Or so she assumed. "Were you injured when you fell?"

"Nothing like that." She closed her eyes and sighed. "It's just a headache. It happens sometimes when I overdo it."

"We restocked the medkit." Mando offered. "I can get it for you if you want?"

"No, but," she all but whispered, "is it okay if I go sleep just a little longer?"

Mando gave a small nod, his hands resting on his thighs. "It'll be a while before we arrive, go ahead and rest. I'll need you to watch the kid when we get there."

"Okay." Larena gave the baby a small tap on his nose eliciting a coo, before she set him back down in the chair. "Wake me when we land."

She turned to leave, squinting against the harsh lights on the panels around them.

"Larena." She froze in place - it was the first time she'd heard him say her name. She looked over her shoulder, waiting for the man of very few words to continue. "Thank you. For helping me."

She gave him a small smile. "Of course."

Mando sighed and tucked the screaming child against his chest. "Shh."

The baby wailed and kicked his legs against the Mandalorian's side. His scream echoed in the ship, bouncing from one wall to the other with fury. He threw his head back and cried, tears cascading down his cheeks and onto the hand Mando held him with.

"C'mon kid," Mando half-whispered, rubbing the baby's back gently. "We'll be there soon. Let's settle down."

The baby didn't relent, however, and only screamed harder. He gathered the screaming bundle to his chest and bounced slightly as he walked - something he'd seen mothers in the streets do to their own young, but it didn't comfort the green thing. If anything it only made him worse.

The baby held it's hands out toward the cot Larena was in, his glassy eyes staring straight through the Mandalorian's helmet.

"Fine." Mando sighed, long and deep before trudging toward his cot, feeling the beginning of a headache himself. He knocked lightly, not wanting to catch the Healer in any sort of undress, and when she didn't respond Mando poked his head in. He didn't know how she slept through the child's tantrum, but there she was, curled into a ball on his cot. He took note of how much smaller she looked as she slept, but shoved it to the back of his mind when he got another swift kick to his side by the child.

"Larena," he whispered. He leaned over, his hand hovering over her arm, not wanting to cross a line with her. "Hey, wake up."

He watched her brows furrow and she sucked a deep breath through her nose before her eyes opened. He watched her blink the sleep away. "Mando? What's goin' on? Did we land?"

"No. Sorry to wake you," he said over the sobs. "The kid, he's been crying nonstop. He's tried coming in here a few times before it started. I think he's wanting you."

Larena nods and sits up, her hair sticking out on one side. She held her hands out to the baby. "C'mere, little guy."

Mando stood there and watched as she tucks the child against her breast, stifling a yawn. She runs her fingers along the length of the baby's nose, shushing him in the softest voice Mando thinks he's ever heard. She pulls the blanket off her and drapes it around her shoulders, wrapping the baby into the cocoon with her. The baby's crying is a bit quieter now, but tears are coming all the same. Larena glances up at Mando and motions for him to sit with her on the cot.

He hesitates for a moment, then, for all their sake, he sat beside them as she requested.

Mando is watching her every move as she gently rocks from side to side, the child curled tightly against her. Then she began to hum. It was a familiar tune. He remembered it from when he'd caught her practicing her "focus" and again when she had helped him not even a day prior. She hummed softly until the baby's tears stopped and his crying was nothing more than hiccups and then she began to sing.

Her lips parted and the lilting words of the song comforted the baby to sleep in a matter of minutes. Once the baby's eyes were shut and little snores filled the room Larena ended the song, her lips curled into a gentle smile.

"How'd you know what to do?" Mando asked quietly. "I don't think he's ever been so inconsolable."

Larena chanced a glance at the man. "Earlier, when I woke up the first time, he seemed... scared. I think he could sense that I was depleted."

"He was worried about you." Mando surmised, watching her. She gave a small nod, still tracing her finger around the baby's round features. "You're good with him."

"Wow." Larena glanced over at him, a smile playing on her lips. "Was that a compliment?"

"It was an observation."

Larena hummed, a grin still on her lips, and then scooted closer to the edge of the cot, careful not to wake the sleeping child in her arms. "I'll go put him to bed."

Mando watched her back disappear into the darkness of the ship still draped in the blanket from his cot. His hand fell from his lap and onto the cot where she'd just been, shocked to find it still warm. He sighed deeply, his eyes closed beneath the mask, fully aware of the tightness growing in his chest that he knew wasn't there before.


	4. Practice

Larena wasn't sure where they had landed, but, as far as she could tell, there wasn't a trace of civilization.

She ambled a little further out of the ship and her brows furrowed at the thick forest that surrounded them. Trees, heavy with large purple blooms sheltered them from the bright suns and, if she squinted hard enough, she could have sworn she saw a patch of small round berries on the bushes to the left of them. Just out from them was a large pond - one the Child had already tried to toddle over to, much to Mando's dismay.

Larena had scooped him up then, giving a swift tickle to his small tummy before settling him in loosely against her chest.

She stepped onto the solid ground for the first time in weeks, almost shocked at how soft and giving the dirt was beneath her leather boots. She sighed at the humidity of fresh, uncirculated air. The wind blew gently around them, whipping her hair into her face. She closed her eyes and leaned against the ship, savoring the moment.

A coo brought her back and she glanced down at the child, watching as he grabbed at a bird that flew overhead. She spun in a slow circle, taking in just how much vegetation was surrounding them. Vines hung from trees and flowers sprouted out in every direction.

It was a beautiful place, that much was certain, but what she couldn't figure out was -

"Where are we exactly?"

Mando turned his head toward her, barely, and shrugged. "Some skug hole I noticed a few days ago on the radar. Low population, no major cities. Perfect place for you to practice."

Larena stilled, all traces of relaxation gone from her in an instant. "For me to practice?"

"That's right," Mando said.

"We didn't need to stop for me to practice," Larena said quickly. She tightened her grip on the child in her arms and he laid one tri-fingered hand on her arm - his little hand patting her. "If it's my focus I can do that on the Crest, no problem."

"No, not focus," Mando said. "You know how to hold a blaster - somewhat, but I'm guessing you've never fired one?"

Larena shook her head. "No."

"That's why we're here," Mando told her firmly. He motioned for her to give him the baby. She reach him over and Mando held him with one arm, the other offered her a spare blaster he'd brought from the ship. Mando nodded toward it. "Take it, I'm going to show you how to shoot."

"I don't need to shoot." Larena's heart pounded in her ears. "I'm a healer-"

"Healer or not," the Mandalorian cut her off, "you need to learn to protect yourself."

Larena trembled as she reach out and took the offending metal. She held it in her right hand, pointing it toward the sky. She began to mumble under her breath. "I hate this. I hate this so much."

Mando sat the child down, watching him for a split second before he moved to set up a few crates he'd had on the Razor Crest as targets. He placed them in a staggered line - some closer to her, others that were smaller and placed farther away. He stepped back to check his work and then looked right at her, his helmet tilted in question. "What's so horrible about blasters?"

She frowned down at the weapon in her hand. "I just - I can't imagine shooting someone. Injuring them on purpose..."

"Even if they mean to harm you?" Mando asked quietly. He gave a subtle nod toward the baby who had made himself a nest of leaves to jump into. "If they meant to harm him?"

Larena glanced up from the gun and narrowed her eyes at the t-shaped visor. "You know I'd protect him, and you too, but I wouldn't want to shoot someone - or kill them - if there was no other choice, then..." She closed her eyes and blew out a long breath. "I'd do it."

She hung her head - shame filling her with her admission. It felt wrong even thinking it, saying it aloud only made her feel worse.

Mando noticed and moved to stand directly in front of her.

"Larena, the people that I have contact with aren't going to care about your feelings about blasters - they're not going to care about you at all. If they want to escape and you're in the way they're going to try to hurt you. Kill you." Mando closed the gap between them, and reach out his arm. His hand hovered over her shoulder momentarily before he let it settle onto her, his gloved fingers squeezing her lightly - comfortingly. "I know you don't want to hurt anyone, I respect that, and if I can help it I won't let it come to that, but there might be a time that I'm not around and you're going to do what you have to to survive."

The heat of his palm was blistering hot against her and she swallowed down her nerves with a nod. "You're right," she admitted softly. "Of course you're right."

"Now," Mando's fingers drummed gently against her shoulder before he pulled back and straightened his posture, "let's practice."

"Okay," she sighed, lifting the blaster to point toward the crates. She aimed as best she could, her eyes trained on the bead on the end of the barrel, and she breathed, quick puffs that even she could hear. A slight tremor caused her hands to shake and, before she could move her finger to the trigger, Mando spoke up.

"Relax," he told her. "You can do this."

Larena's breathing stuttered. "I don't think I can."

"I know you can," Mando encouraged. "Take a deep breath and when you get ready to fire hold it. Make sure you have the target down your sight before you pull the trigger."

Larena closed her eyes and breathed in and out slowly. I can't do this. I can't do this.

"Think about the kid," Mando offered. "The target is someone who's coming for him - if you don't stop them who will?"

Larena envisioned a person, hostile and armed, coming to take the child from them. Her veins filled with something akin to fire and she opened her right eye, attempting to zero in on the target. Slowly, her finger found the trigger. She held her breath and squeezed, fighting back a flinch when the recoil from the shot threw her hands back slightly.

"Close," Mando mused from behind her. "Not bad for your first shot. Now, I'm going to show you a stance I think might work for you."

She nodded and felt his hands on her arms, positioning them straight out before her. "Lock your elbows," his voice was right in her ear. He nudged one of her legs with his knee and she moved it forward slightly. The proximity of him made her cheeks burn and she hoped to every star in the sky he couldn't hear the pounding of her heart against her ribs. "This gives you more control - keep the blaster right in front of you. Breathe in and fire."

Larena nodded, hyper-aware of the feeling of his hands still on her arms. He gave an encouraging, gentle squeeze with his fingers before he slid them back down to his sides. He didn't back away, Larena realized, as she could feel the cold beskar pressed against her back. She found an odd sense of comfort knowing that he was right there with her. She aimed down the sights, taking in a slow, deep breath and holding it as she fired the blaster.

She watched as the bolt hit the left corner of the crate, sending pieces of splintered wood flying.

"I hit it," she whispered, turning to face the Mandalorian. She felt pride fill her chest and she laughed, jumping from one foot to the other with joy. "I did it, I hit it!"

"I told you you could do it." He breathed out a small, barely-there chuckle and it made her heart swell. "Keep practicing, I'm going to scout ahead and make sure we're safe here."

"Mando," she called. The armored man paused and turned back to face her. "Thank you."

Later that evening they sat around a fire Mando had started to stave off the chill that had settled over their encampment.

Larena roasted a few of the animals that he'd brought back and, as she and the Child happily chowed down, he settled in to simply observe them.

The child watched as Larena took small, peckish bites from her food and turned back to his portion, his ears lowered, and a look of concentration clear in his big eyes. He tore a piece of meat off with his hands and held it to his mouth, imitating exactly how Larena had taken her last bite. He chewed it thoughtfully before peeking back over to the woman by his side. He looked back at the rest of his food and then, as quickly as he always did, he shoved the entire carcass to his mouth and swallowed it whole.

Larena's eyes were wide and she stopped mid-chew to look over at Mando before she broke into a fit of laughter. Her eyes took on a half-moon shape and her mouth stretched into a blinding smile around her food. The sounds that left her made Mando's chest rumble with laughter.

"You silly little thing you," she cooed as she brought the child into her lap. She wrapped her arms around him gently, squeezing him into a tender hug. She pressed a smiling kiss to the side of his head, tears of laughter still on her cheeks. She peeked up at Mando, watching him from under her lashes, and just shook her head at the riot she held against her breast.

Mando's heart leaped in his chest, but he mirrored her motion, smiling all the while.


	5. What's to Come

A blaster bolt shot through the trees, two feet to the right of the projectile that was thrown by the armored man.

They'd been at it for hours, Mando throwing whatever he could find into the air while Larena tried to shoot it down, or even just hit it. Larena's frustration had been growing since they began, but now she was all but in hysterics - her aim, coupled with the unwavering stare of the Mandalorian was making her anxious.

"It's too difficult," Larena groaned as she plopped down onto the ground, her back pressed against the scraping bark of a tree. She picked at the grass around her, eyes filling up with angry tears. "I can't do it."

Mando stood at her side, his hands folded together at his belt. He sighed, the sound louder and more drawn out due to the modulator, and leaned his shoulder heavily onto the very same tree. His knee was right by her head and Larena held her breath for a moment, surprised, but not opposed to, his sudden proximity. "You're doing fine, Larena. You're new to shooting a blaster, you shouldn't be ashamed of not be able to hit a moving target just yet."

Larena nodded as she split a blade of grass in half between her fingers. "Why am I even practicing with a blaster? It's not like I'm going to have to actually shoot someone anytime soon, am I? I mean, stay in the ship, watch the kid. Heal you if you get hurt. I should be practicing on my focus if anything."

"That's the hope." Mando agreed softly. "But there are times when I can't control what happens while I'm tracking someone. Even if I do find the quarry," he paused and cleared his throat before continuing, "your brother... most people don't come with me willingly."

Larena's hands stilled and her mind began racing to so many conclusions she didn't even know where to start asking questions. Scenarios of all kinds threatened to consume her until she narrowed in on one, but - no. No, Mando wouldn't want her to do such a thing, he wouldn't purposely put her in that position ... would he?

She blinked up at the Mandalorian, her heart pounding like a war drum in her ears. "Y-You're not implying what I think you are..."

Mando pushed off the tree and tilted his helmet at her and she wondered if this is what his quarries saw - what her brother was to see - before he hauled them in. His wide shoulders were squared and raised slightly and his back straighter than normal. A shiver ran down her spine, but she kept his phantom gaze all the same. "I only want you prepared -"

"To what? To shoot my own brother?" Larena asked back, her eyebrows pulled down. "Is that what you're preparing me for? To kill the only person I have left?"

"Larena," Mando's shoulders lowered, just a fraction. "Do you think he's just going to leave? He left home for a reason-"

"How can you even expect that from me," Larena seethed, pushing off the ground with her hand, the bark of the tree biting into her back through her thin tunic. "He raised me, Mando. He was there for me when my father wasn't, after my mother died. My brother is everything to me, and you -"

"I understand that, Larena," Mando explained as calmly as he could, "I'm not saying we're going to have to shoot him, I just meant -"

Larena shook her head and pressed her finger against his chest, poking against the armor to punctuate her every thought. "All my life I've been told that Mandalorians followed a code of honor," Larena bit, her watery eyes pinning him in place. He had no mind to move, and the only thing that made him even seem real was the heavy breaths that left him. "But maybe those stories were just that - stories. Lies."

Mando was silent as she thrust the blaster into his hands. He gripped it tightly as she bolted past him, wincing under his helmet when he heard a sob tear from her chest just as she bent to pluck the child from a cluster of flowers.

Mando trudged behind them, itching to be back where he was most comfortable in his pilot chair, among the stars chasing a lead.

In the cot, Larena sat cross-legged on the ragged mattress, her head leaned back against the metal of the ship as she processed what was going to happen, what had already happened.

Was her brother going to come out of this unscathed? Was she? Would her father even welcome her back home after all of this was over? She doubted it, even if it did break her heart to admit.

Where would she go? She had no other family - no contacts anywhere else. The Mandalorian and his Child were the only beings that she'd ever really had a relationship with aside from Kaisen - the only ones who had ever really treated her as an equal - not just some girl who could move things with her mind.

She sighed, holding her head in her hands.

Had she snapped too quickly at Mando? Probably, she reasoned. But had he crossed a line, training her to injure or even kill her own brother? Again, she realized that yes, he probably had. It wasn't the realization that she might have to go against her own set of rules and hurt someone that bothered her the most, though - no, the one part of their conversation that echoed in her head, almost as if it was a taunt, was that she'd called him and his way of life, his religion, a lie. She'd gone too far.

All he'd tried to do was help and she snapped at him for it.

A knock on the side of the door ripped her from her shame and she glanced up through her fingers, watching as the Mandalorian himself laid a black shirt on a box beside the cot. "It's going to get cold."

Larena opened her mouth to respond, to say something, anything, but didn't get the chance because as soon as the words left his mouth he turned on his heel and walked away. Larena picked the shirt off the box, burying her fingers in the thick, warm cloth. With a sigh she scooted to the edge of the mattress, lifting herself off of it and going to take a quick, much-needed shower.

The water on the Razor Crest was cool, never scalding nor icy, and it managed to finally pull her from the thoughts she feared she might drown in. Quickly, she scrubbed her fingers through her hair and used the scented soaps Mando had gotten them on his last trip into town, before rinsing and drying off as quickly as possible. She pulled the shirt Mando had left for her over her head, closing her eyes and reveling at the warmth it held. It smelled of their soap and him, metal and something else she couldn't quite place. She pulled her undergarments on and padded up to the front of the ship.

Without a word she lifted the baby out of his carriage and walked away from the cockpit to a small table. She rummaged through a cabinet and found a ration pack and a spoon. Holding it up she gave a small, forced smile to the baby and asked, "Hungry, little guy?"

The baby's ears perked and he cooed, the little row of bottom teeth peeking out to greet her.

"Alright then, let's get you fed," Larena spoke to him quietly, stroking his back with a feather-light touch as he gobbled down the meal she offered. The baby kicked his little legs and babbled to her as she fed him, almost as if he were trying to engage in an actual conversation with her. His tone would rise and fall and he'd laugh and squeal as she responded. He leaned his head against her hand at one point and it was then she realized why Mando had been so adamant on her learning to protect herself.

It wasn't for his sake, or for her own. It was for his - the baby.

She glanced up in shame at the little green thing in front of her, looking at her like she hung the stars. Larena flinched as she felt the too-long sleeve of the shirt fall down, pooling around the wrist that held the baby's head. Shame and guilt filled her eyes with another round of tears. She sniffed and spooned another bite into the baby's mouth.

"I messed up, kiddo," she confessed, her voice thick. "I really messed up."

The baby tilted his head at her, blinking slowly as she spoke. He cooed softly and she wiped a bit of the food away from the corner of his mouth.

"Of course it could go wrong," she mumbled with a shake of her head. "That's always a chance. I knew it before we left and still I snapped."

The baby flailed his arms, his fingers making grabbing motions.

"Maybe your Papa was better off without the help of a half-trained healer," she whispered Mando's previous words, her voice breaking at the end. "Maybe my father has always been right about me. That I'm nothing without him."

The baby's ears lowered and his bottom lip juts out to mirror her emotion. He put his hand on her cheek and babbled.

"We're a few hours away," the familiar modulated voice cut in. Larena jumped and wiped at a tear that had escaped the corner of her eye. "You might want to go prepare for what's to come."

Larena nodded but didn't turn to face him. She didn't think she could. "Okay."

She grabbed the Child off the table, wiping his mouth once more before pressing a quick kiss to the top of his head. She reach him out for Mando to take and he did, holding him with one arm.

Larena took a deep breath and went to move around them before Mando stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"That isn't true," he said lowly.

Larena turned her face up to the helmet, looking where she thought his eyes might be, her arms crossed over her chest loosely. "What isn't?"

"I- We wouldn't be better off without you," he told her quietly. "You're a good addition to our team."

"I didn't mean what I said, Mando... I- I was just angry." Larena felt a lump in her throat and she tried to swallow it down. "And scared."

He nodded and, with the arm that wasn't occupied by the child he reaches out to place a hand on her shoulder. "I know."

"I'm sorry," she whispered again, placing her hand over his gloved one. He gave her shoulder a squeeze and nodded.

"Go get ready," he told her. "We'll be there soon."


	6. Bounty Be Damned

Green eyes traced over the pristine, snow-covered landscape, scanning for anything that could point them in the direction of Kaisen Rys.

Bare trees stood firmly against the wind, the weakest of their branches snapping and flying away with the force of the blizzard raging around them. The suns were just rising over the horizon, bathing the landscape with the first rays of light, but even the brightness couldn't stave off the bitter cold.

Larena stepped out of the ship, her boots crunching against the ground as her feet sunk into the wet snow. She wrung her hands together anxiously, the gloves Mando provided adding a bulk she wasn't used to, but she welcomed it gladly - her fingers might not survive their trek into the unknown. The parts of her face that weren't wrapped in the protective cloth burned as the bitter wind whipped around her, so she couldn't fathom what would've happened to her fingers without another layer of protection - they surely would've turned blue and fallen off.

Closing her eyes, Larena inhaled through her nose, held it for a few seconds, and then breathed it out, the sound barely audible against the whistling winds. She felt anxiety stir in her chest, her heart pounding almost painfully hard, so hard she feared it would burst through her chest. Blood rushed in her ears and she could feel the beat of her heart in the tips of her fingers. The blaster that Mando had strapped to her thigh felt heavy and unnatural - it did nothing to ease the anxiousness that threatened to consume her. The slight bounce against her leg with her every step only serves to put her more on edge.

So many thoughts and outcomes ran through her mind that Larena didn't know where some began and where others ended. She shook her head slightly, hearing the crunching of footsteps just behind her.

"What about the baby," Larena asked Mando, turning toward him as the ramp slowly slid up and closed, sealing the ship. "Are we leaving him here on his own the entire time?"

"Yes." Mando sighed, glancing down at the tracker clutched in his hand. "It's the only choice we have. I don't want to risk him coming with us. He's only been asleep for a bit and he practiced his focus earlier, so he should be out for a while."

Larena nodded, worrying her lip between her teeth. "O-Okay."

Mando turned his helmet toward her as he spoke. "Larena, you don't have to come if you don't feel comfortable with this... I am more than capable of bringing your brother in on my own."

The woman shook her head quickly. "No. No, I want to, it's just..."

"Difficult?" Mando guessed.

She nodded. "Yeah. Difficult."

Mando lay his hand on her shoulder - something he'd seemingly grown fond of doing as he comforted her - before he spoke again. "I'll do everything I can to make this encounter as painless as possible. For all parties involved."

"Thank you," Larena said gratefully. "I just hope Kaisen does the same."

Mando gave a short nod and let his hand slip from her shoulder before he turned and pointed toward the right. "This way."

Larena trailed behind Mando's large frame, his wide shoulders blocking her from the brunt of the wind and chill. Still the bitter cold seeped between the gaps in the thick clothing she'd borrowed, the chill settling straight into her bones. She shivered and pulled her jacket tighter to her body, keeping her steps in time with the man in front of her. She was glad he took the lead, not that she'd have any idea how to track anyone, especially during a snowstorm, but because of the protection and sense of comfort she felt while he was near.

They walked for a time, Larena's breath puffing out in a cloud in front of her, until Mando suddenly stopped. Larena plowed into his back, grunting on impact, surprised when Mando's hand shot out and steadied her before she fell. He brought a finger up to where she imagined his mouth was behind his helmet and shushed her. He stood stock-still, his head swiveling slowly from the left, and then to the right before he gave a slight nod and leaned down closer to her ear.

"We're getting close to something," he said lowly. The static from the modulator made it hard for her to hear him, but she nodded, so he continued. "It may or may not be where your brother is, so we need to be ready. Stay behind me. Keep a hand on back the entire time."

Larena nodded, her teeth chattering from the cold. "I'll do my best."

"If they start firing at us, Larena," Mando added as gently as he could, "I won't hesitate to shoot back. I need you to do the same."

Larena blinked as the gravity of the situation hit her square in the chest. Her breathing became heavy and her lungs rejected any oxygen the foreign land had to offer. Her hands shook as she brought them to her chest, desperate to catch a full breath. She didn't know how long they stood there, her panting and Mando simply watching as she pulled herself together. Her chin quivered with emotion and she scrubbed her gloves down her face to keep her tears at bay.

"You okay to keep going?" Mando asked quietly. "I need you at your best."

Larena nodded at him, not trusting her voice enough to speak.

"Okay," he agreed quietly. "Now, remember, keep your hand on me the whole time. I can't protect you if I don't know where you are."

Larena crouched slightly, keeping herself as concealed as she could behind Mando's back. She grasped his cape desperately, the fabric scratchy and thin in her grip, as she attempted to keep up with the wide strides he took. She stumbled and slipped on the wet snow, but managed to keep herself upright as they weaved through a maze of dead vegetation. They came upon a fallen tree that blocked the only secure path they had and Mando surprised Larena when he pulled her against his front and then wrapped his hands securely around her waist and lifted her over it without hesitation. The ease of the movement had her in shock, but she had no time to dwell on it, for just before them sat a cabin in the clearing.

Dark smoke billowed from the chimney toward the back of the dwelling, swirling up and disappearing into the blizzard that raged around them. They moved closer slowly, silently, and Larena had to squint to make out the figure that sat on the steps - it was almost as if he were waiting on them to arrive.

The closer they got, the more the figure on the steps became clearer.

Larena gasped when the man tilted his face up, staring directly into her eyes- green meeting green. The familiar mop of hair, tied back into a clumsy, loose ponytail at the nape of his neck, almost broke her. His hands were wrapped crudely in some type of bandages, and before she knew what she was doing, Larena stepped out from behind the Mandalorian, her feet carrying her closer to her brother.

"Larena," Mando hissed, reaching for her arm. "Larena, stop!"

The woman glanced over her shoulder at him, shaking her head softly. "Something isn't right."

"Larena," Mando's voice was low. Angry. "Get behind me. Now!"

"Mando, please," she begged, her voice tight with tears. "Please. He's my brother. If he's going to listen to anyone it'll be me."

The Mandalorian shook his head and reach his hand out to gently grab her by her upper arm - pulling her back to him. He pushed her behind him again, his arm coming out to keep her in place - she knew that she wouldn't pass him a second time, not without his say so. She noticed the slight shake of his hand as it hovered in place just before he balled it into a tight fist.

"Kaisen Rys," Mando called through the whistling wind. "Your father sent me to bring you home. Come willingly or I'll be forced to use another... unfavorable method to get you there."

The man's eyes never strayed from his sister's, his eyes still locked onto Larena's just over the Mandalorian's shoulder. "Dear sister," he called, his voice tired and worn. "I see you've found another protector in my absence - and a Mandalorian at that. Good for you."

"Kaisen," Larena own voice quivered in response. "Please, don't make this harder than it has to be. Come back with us. Come home."

Kaisen barked a dry laugh and shook his head. "Home."

"Brother," Larena plead with him, her eyes going back to his bandaged hands. "What happened to you?"

The man held his hands up slightly, giving her a better look at them before he dropped them back into his lap. "I've been training."

"For what?" Larena asked gently. "What is it that made you leave?"

Kaisen sighed heavily. "You wouldn't understand..."

"Help me to," Larena told him. "Please, Kaisen. I can help you... we can help you. Just come with us!"

Kaisen simply shook his head. "I have to get stronger."

"For what?!"

Mando turned his helmet to her, watching as she tried to convince her brother to voluntarily leave his post. He saw a movement from the inside of the cabin, calculated and well-trained men stood at almost every corner of the room, and Mando realized that they'd been set up. His hand automatically hovered over the blaster on his side before he turned to push Larena back and out of the line of fire. She yelped, tripping over a log and fell onto her back just as a blaster bolt shot past them, disappearing into the snow behind them. Mando fired his blaster at the figure in the window when, from the right, another round of blaster fire shot from the treeline, and then more from the left.

Mando swore and fired as many rounds as he could, alternating directions, listening as men fell to the snow, some groaning while others were unmoving, as Larena lay in the snow, hands covering her head in terror.

"Oh stars," she whimpered, burrowing into the cold slush beneath their feet. "Oh no, no."

"Larena," Mando shouted, watching as another figure in the window slumped forward and then slid down, leaving a slick trail of blood on the glass pane. "You need to move."

Larena stared up at him, stunned at how he slung the rifle on his back around and started firing in just a span of a few seconds. He aimed down the sights and Larena followed his line of vision, choking as she watched person after person disintegrate as he fired upon them.

She sat up, glancing down at her shaking hands, and knew that she had to do something - had to help. On shaky legs, Larena stood, concealed by Mando's back once more. Her hand snaked down to the blaster on her thigh and she unholstered it, holding it shakily toward the firefight in front of her. She closed one eye, aiming in on one of the men in the house and fired, shocked when he fell to the ground inside. She gasped as bile burned the back of her throat - it was the first person she'd ever hurt. The first person she'd ever killed.

"Good shot," Mando offered as he fired again. "Just a few more and -"

A scream cut him off.

It was close.

Right behind him.

Turning, he saw Larena once again lying on her back in the snow behind him, only this time blood leaked out of a wound in her leg, staining the white snow a horrific red. Her eyes found his hidden ones and it was then he saw how scared she was - her eyes bounced between his own and then back to her leg, wide and glassy with shock.

"M-M-Mando," she cried, staring down at her leg, watching as more and more blood pooled beneath her. "I'm- I'm hit!"

"Heal it," Mando ordered quickly. "Heal it the best you can - we're getting out of here."

Larena nodded and closed her eyes, her shaky hands coming to rest over the wound. She began to sing the song he'd become so familiar with over the last few weeks. The song she sang as she put the Child to sleep, the one she sang for him when she healed him the first time, the very song she sang when she had nothing better to do. The song he realized he'd sang on his way back to the ship from a successful bounty once. Only it was different this time, this time it was shaky and uncertain - laced with trepidation and doubt.

This time, it broke his heart.

Larena's voice was all but drown out by the storm, but she continued anyway. Mando watched as her hands steadied, just barely, and the wound puckered before slowly beginning to seal itself shut.

Just then, a blaster bolt hit the beskar at his shoulder, knocking him back but not off his feet. He turned back to the fight, rage burning the backs of his eyes, and fired more shots, anger and frustration and... fear driving him forward. He made quick work of the rest of the men that were left, no more than five, and then stood in front of Kaisen, his digging the burning tip of his blaster into the hollow of his throat.

"You did this," he hissed, grabbing the man's chin with his free hand roughly. "You ordered the ambush."

"I would never intentionally hurt Larena," Kaisen said, meeting the Mandalorian's metal stare. "This was never my plan, what's happened has happened. However..." his eyes darted toward where Larena had fallen and he sighed, "it seems that my sweet sister has fallen prey to her weakness once more."

Mando kept the blaster firmly in place, turning back to see Larena slumped over on the ice.

"It looks like you'll have to choose who to bring back this time," Kaisen said, his eyes trained on the unmoving figure of the woman. "So which is it, Mandalorian? Are you going to cash my bounty and leave my sister to die in the snow?"

Mando's breathing was rough as he knocked the butt of his blaster into the side of Kaisen's head, relishing in the grunt it pulled from him. He smirked behind the helmet as he returned his weapon to the holster, the trail of blood leaking down the man's head satisfying him... for now.

Then he turned and walked away, gathering Larena in his arms and heading back to the ship - bounty be damned.


	7. Anything for You

Larena groaned and opened her eyes, blinking in the black darkness of the cot she'd come to know in the past few weeks. Her leg throbbed and she felt the very air spinning around her as she began to rouse from her dreamless sleep. Sweat stuck her hair to her forehead and neck and her lungs felt too big in her chest.

Her attempt to sit up caused her stomach to lurch painfully and with a speed she didn't know she possessed she raised her hand and, without thinking about it at all, the bin that sat near the edge of the bed flew to her outstretched arm. She emptied her stomach into it, every heave more painful than the last, and tears leaked from her eyes at the force of her body's rejection of the bacta patch on her leg.

With shaky fingers she reach down and peeled it away, tensing at the stickiness of the dried blood that crusted around it.

Swallowing down another round of sickness she placed her hand over the wound and concentrated in silence as she focused on weaving her blistered skin back together. It didn't take long and when she was finished she looked up to the rustling she heard in the doorway.

"You're getting better at controlling it," Mando's commented quietly. He flipped the light on and Larena flinched at the brightness of it.

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and nearly gagged at the taste left in her mouth. "Do we have anything to drink?"

Mando nodded and stepped and out and returned just as quickly with a cup of water.

Larena accepted silently, desperate to rid herself of the bitterness that was consuming her every sense. She sipped the water carefully, knowing all too well what would happen if she downed the entire cup too quickly. After a few minutes of silence Larena raised her head to see the Mandalorian as still as a statue in the same spot, his visor still angled straight at her.

"I tried, Mando," she mumbled, ducking her head as the gravity of what had happened fully hit her. She shrugged her shoulders and shook her head lightly as she continued, "I just - I couldn't bring him home."

Mando stayed silent for a beat before he responded. "You can't blame yourself for your brother's choices, Larena. He's going to do what suits him."

"That's just it though, Mando, this doesn't suit him. There's something's wrong," Larena said quietly. "That man on those steps - that's not the Kaisen I knew. The Kaisen I knew was gentle and kind and funny. He was helpful and would never do anything to harm anyone! That man back at that cabin - he was angry and bitter and... wrong."

"Larena," Mando said, gentling his voice for her comfort. "The promise of power changes people."

Shaking her head Larena looked up at him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Not Kaisen."

"I wish that were true," Mando said sadly. "But sometimes, as hard as we might try, we aren't able to save those that mean the most to us."

Larena looked down at her leg. The fabric of her pants was ripped apart, the fibers fraying like the binding of a well-loved book. Her skin was healed, but what was left behind was puckered and red. Angry. She ran her finger lightly over the scar and said, "I'm sorry I cost you the bounty."

Mando growled, the sound even lower when filtered through the modulator. "I'm not worried about the damned bounty," he said, moving closer to her. He knelt down by her side and reach out, his hand hovering over her own. When she didn't recoil from his advance he let it fall softly, resting by her own on her leg, careful of her injury. "When you got shot the only thing I was worried about was getting you the hell out of there."

"But-"

Mando cut her off with a shake of his head. "There isn't enough currency in the galaxy that's worth your life."

Larena nodded as her chest started to tighten. Her lip wobbled, barely even enough to notice, and she pulled it between her teeth, biting down so hard that Mando feared she'd break the skin. He brought his hand up slowly and traced the contour of her bottom lip as gently as he could, urging her to let it go. She obliged and it was then, with the release of her lip, that the dam she'd built finally shattered.

Her mind replayed his words over and over - the honesty and gentleness of it overwhelming her. She hadn't felt such sincerity from someone besides Kaisen in so long she didn't think it was possible. Tears prickled the backs of her eyes and a sob fell from her lips. She covered her face with shaky hands and leaned her elbows onto her knees. "I-I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm sorry, Mando. I'm sorry."

"Shh," Mando comforted, moving to sit on the cot beside her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, well aware of how his armor must have been biting into her skin, but she didn't move away. Instead she leaned her head on his shoulder and reach up to hold the hand that held her to him. Mando opened and closed his mouth under the helmet, struggling to find the words that he was so desperately searching for. "I-I don't really know what to do in situations like this," Mando admitted quietly. "How can I help?"

Larena sniffed and a shaky breath left her lips. "Stay-" she hiccuped, "stay with me. J-Just for a little while. Please?"

Mando nodded, finally understanding exactly what it was she craved.

It was touch.

His touch.

"Okay," he said quietly. He moved so that he could cradle her against his chest and she fell boneless against him, her head in the crook of his neck.

His breathing seized in his chest when he felt the heat of her skin through the fabric that covered his neck. Goosebumps trailed from his head to his toes and he fought the urge to shiver at the closeness of her to him. How long had it been since someone had been so close to him without ill intent?

Larena had nestled herself against him with such ease that he felt his heart clench.

He rested the side of his helmet against the crown of her own, careful of the blunt edges, and rocked them gently. His hand rubbed circles on her back in a way that he hoped was as soothing for her as it was for him. He closed his eyes beneath the helm and before he knew what he was doing a familiar song started pouring out of his mouth.

His voice was soft, almost a whisper, in her ear, and Larena stiffened in his arms when she realized what he was doing.

What he was singing.

Tears filled her eyes again and she wondered how many stars had aligned in the sky for her to have even met the gentle Mandalorian that held her so sweetly in his arms. She sniffed and joined him, her voice quivering and horribly off-pitch.

Together they sang until her pain and sorrow waned.

Mando opened his eyes, the lull of the song wearing off, and pulled back slightly, just enough to peer down onto her face. Her eyes were swollen and puffy, and her nose was redder than any burn from all the suns in the galaxy, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She was breathtaking. "Did I help?"

One corner of Larena's lip twitched just so and then she dove back into his arms, pressing her nose against the fabric across his neck. Mando tightened his grip on her, mindful of his armor once more.

Larena's breath permeated the cloth on his neck, the warmth of it sending tingles down his spine. "Thank you, Mando."

"Of course," responded gently. Anything for you.

Later that evening Mando had set off to find another bounty in the area.

"It isn't a tough job," he'd assured Larena when she panicked at the idea of him leaving so soon. "It's a simple in and out mission. I'll be gone an hour, two tops, and then we'll have enough to fill up on fuel."

Larena relented when he promised to keep the comm on him - that way if anything happened she could radio it in and he'd know immediately.

A little while after Mando had gone and Larena was sure they were secure, she and the baby had gotten settled at the small makeshift table. She fed him a little of a fruit they'd found a few days back, wiping the bits that were left on his face away with a spare rag. The little green thing cooed up at Larena from his spot on the chair beside her, holding his arms out to her. She took the hint and lifted him from his seat.

He settled happily on her lap, his big eyes scanning over her. When he found the blaster hit on her leg his hand reach out to touch it, his ears lowering in what she thought was his way of expressing his negative emotions - sadness, worry, fear.

"Hey," she said softly. "I'm okay, little guy."

His lips twitched and he blinked sadly down at it, his fingers patting it softly. She hoisted him up, cuddling him close to her chest, smiling when he lay his hand on her cheek.

"You know, when I was a little girl I had a strange power," she started, bringing her finger under his little chin and scratching softly. "Just like you."

His ears raised a fraction, indicating a shift in his mood, so she continued. "My father was furious - he didn't approve of such tricks. He thought that fighters - warriors - their trade was to be passed down, parent to child. My brother inherited his talent for fighting. He was very skilled, even from an early age, so my father taught him."

"Every evening as the sun went down my father and brother sparred and trained while I was left in my room, reading my books and hoping for the day that I was able to get away. Explore the world. I dreamed of a handsome prince sweeping me from my home and whisking me away to faraway lands."

The baby pulled at a lock of her hair and she winced, untangling it from his hand.

"I got my mother's talent," she told him, as if she were letting him in on a secret. Glancing around she found the ball from the lever Mando allowed the baby to play with. She focused on it and it came sailing toward them, cutting through the air with a whistle. The baby cooed happily, bouncing on her lap when he relinquished the ball to him. "She could do the same things as you and me."

The baby cackled, bouncing the ball up and down with his use of their shared gift.

"Yeah," Larena agreed with a small smile. "I think we would've liked her."

The smile slowly melted from her lips. "You would've liked Kaisen, too. The real Kaisen, not whoever he's pretending to be."

The baby made a noise, almost as if he were as confused as she was.

"Something isn't right, kid," she said softly. "I can feel it."

Just then a series of knocks sounded on the door of the ship. Larena jumped up, deposited the baby on the floor behind her, and grabbed the blaster that she had by her side. She walked slowly, her bare feet thudding against the floor of the ship, and when she got to the controls she heard a voice.

"Larena," it called. "It's okay. You can open up, it's just me."

Her shoulders sank and she let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. She pressed the button that lowered the ramp, watching as Mando appeared slowly. He hauled the bounty into the ship making sure he didn't get too close to Larena and the kid. The man uttered a few pleading words before Mando shoved him into the carbonite.

Larena flinched, still unused to seeing the frozen fear on the bounties faces when they realized what was happening. She glanced away from it and back to Mando who uncharacteristically shifted from one foot to the other before he turned back toward the door, his hand on his blaster. He cocked his head at her and then said, "Come on."

Larena was planted firmly in place, her mouth dry and her heart pounding. A familiar figure slunk into the ship, his head bowed and his hands cuffed in front of him. He raised his head, looking up at her through a curtain of hair that had fallen out of place, green meeting green. He scanned her, his eyes stopping on the healed injury, and then he raised his head back up, staring at her in silence.

Swallowing the thick emotion in her throat Larena muttered one word.

"Kaisen?"


End file.
